Master the NYT crossword from January 09, 1990 with our expert hint system. We provide synonyms, antonyms, and strategic clues to help you solve without spoiling the fun.
Puzzle Difficulty: Medium
Pro Tip: Start with the fill-in-the-blank clues - they're usually the easiest entry points!
Across Clues - Strategic Hints (37 clues)
1A: "1. Nude"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that make public
- Similar words include: desolate, marginal, stark
- Opposite of: sheathed, covered
Click to reveal answer
Answer: BARE
2A: "5. Sudden, violent effort"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a painful and involuntary muscular contraction
- Similar words include: muscle spasm, cramp
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: SPASM
3A: "10. Grow tiresome"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a sudden numbing dread
- Similar words include: scare, curtain, die
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: PALL
4A: "14. Soon"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that at another time
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ANON
5A: "15. Spaghetti, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a dish that contains pasta as its main ingredient
- Similar words include: alimentary paste
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: PASTA
6A: "16. Margarine"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a spread made chiefly from vegetable oils and used as a substitute for butter
- Similar words include: marge, margarin, oleomargarine
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: OLEO
7A: "17. Asterisk"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (astronomy) a celestial body of hot gases that radiates energy derived from thermonuclear reactions in the interior
- Similar words include: stellar, whizz, asterisk
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: STAR
8A: "18. Aquatic animal"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the fur of an otter
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: OTTER
9A: "19. Tidy"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that clean or organized
- Similar words include: straight, bully, groovy
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: NEAT
10A: "20. British P.M.: 1955-57"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______________
Click to reveal answer
Answer: SIRANTHONYEDEN
11A: "23. Neon or argon"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the state of matter distinguished from the solid and liquid states by: relatively low density and viscosity; relatively great expansion and contraction with changes in pressure and temperature; the ability to diffuse readily; and the spontaneous tendency to become distributed uniformly throughout any container
- Similar words include: boast, natural gas, gun
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: GAS
12A: "24. Canonized woman in Fr."
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: STE
13A: "25. Bundled cotton"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that make into a bale
- Similar words include: bale
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: BALED
14A: "28. Lamb's cry"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: MAA
15A: "31. Some examinations"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an examination conducted by spoken communication
- Similar words include: oral, viva voce, viva
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ORALS
16A: "35. ___ Wallach, actor from Brooklyn"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ELI
17A: "36. Hanging piece of frozen water"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that ice resembling a pendent spear, formed by the freezing of dripping water
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ICICLE
18A: "39. Exude"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that expel (gases or odors)
- Similar words include: let loose, breathe, pass off
- Opposite of: absorb
Click to reveal answer
Answer: EMIT
19A: "40. Noted English navigator"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _______________
Click to reveal answer
Answer: SIRFRANCISDRAKE
20A: "43. Avocado's shape"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a closed plane curve resulting from the intersection of a circular cone and a plane cutting completely through it
- Similar words include: oval-shaped, prolate, elliptical
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: OVAL
21A: "44. Scold"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that censure severely or angrily
- Similar words include: dress down, trounce, jaw
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer
Answer: BERATE
22A: "45. D.C. bigwig"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a fractional monetary unit of japan and indonesia and cambodia; equal to one hundredth of a yen or rupiah or riel
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: SEN
23A: "46. High plateaus"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that flat tableland with steep edges
- Similar words include: Mesa, mesa, table
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: MESAS
24A: "48. German article"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that any of several small ungulate mammals of africa and asia with rodent-like incisors and feet with hooflike toes
- Similar words include: dassie, cony, hyrax
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: DAS
25A: "49. Lariat"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that belgian composer (1532-1594)
- Similar words include: rope, lariat, Roland de Lassus
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: LASSO
26A: "51. Obtain"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a return on a shot that seemed impossible to reach and would normally have resulted in a point for the opponent
- Similar words include: obtain, suffer, start out
- Opposite of: leave, take away
Click to reveal answer
Answer: GET
27A: "53. For each"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: PER
28A: "54. Author of "Ivanhoe""
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ______________
Click to reveal answer
Answer: SIRWALTERSCOTT
29A: "62. Facts"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn
- Similar words include: datum, data point, information
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: DATA
30A: "63. Hire"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that property that is leased or rented out or let
- Similar words include: rent, letting, engage
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: LEASE
31A: "64. One who mimics"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that someone who copies the words or behavior of another
- Similar words include: emulator, imitator, copycat
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: APER
32A: "65. Solemn assent"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a primeval egyptian personification of air and breath; worshipped especially at thebes
- Similar words include: Amun, Amon
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: AMEN
33A: "66. Emulates Maxwell Perkins"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that prepare for publication or presentation by correcting, revising, or adapting
- Similar words include: delete, redact, edit
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: EDITS
34A: "67. Valley"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an open river valley (in a hilly area)
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: DALE
35A: "68. Saucy"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that characterized by a lightly pert and exuberant quality
- Similar words include: impertinent, saucy, irreverent
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: PERT
36A: "69. Auctions"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that income (at invoice values) received for goods and services over some given period of time
- Similar words include: sales event, sale, gross revenue
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: SALES
37A: "70. She, in Sèvres"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ELLE
Down Clues - Strategic Hints (41 clues)
1D: "1. Food fish"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the lowest part of the musical range
- Similar words include: bass part, basso, freshwater bass
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: BASS
2D: "2. Oppositionist"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a person who is opposed (to an action or policy or practice etc.)
- Opposite of: pro
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ANTI
3D: "3. Sound at Shea"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a deep prolonged loud noise
- Similar words include: hollo, yaup, yawl
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ROAR
4D: "4. Madden"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that put into a rage; make violently angry
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ENRAGE
5D: "5. Detects"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that spots before the eyes caused by opaque cell fragments in the vitreous humor and lens
- Similar words include: patch, office, slur
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: SPOTS
6D: "6. Trail"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a course of conduct
- Similar words include: way, route, course
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: PATH
7D: "7. Concerning"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ASTO
8D: "8. British carbine"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: STEN
9D: "9. Astor and Martin"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the mother of jesus; christians refer to her as the virgin mary; she is especially honored by roman catholics
- Similar words include: Madonna, Mary, Virgin Mary
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: MARYS
10D: "10. One who deliberates"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a reflective thinker characterized by quiet contemplation
- Similar words include: muser, ruminator, muller
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer
Answer: PONDERER
11D: "11. Helm position"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that on or toward the lee
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ALEE
12D: "12. Far from plump"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the property possessed by a line or surface that departs from the vertical
- Similar words include: slant, leaning, tend
- Opposite of: rich, fat
Click to reveal answer
Answer: LEAN
13D: "13. Realty unit"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (often followed by `of') a large number or amount or extent
- Similar words include: caboodle, destiny, deal out
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: LOT
14D: "21. Opposite of zenith"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that an extreme state of adversity; the lowest point of anything
- Similar words include: low-water mark
- Opposite of: zenith
Click to reveal answer
Answer: NADIR
15D: "22. W W II area"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ETO
16D: "25. Broom made of twigs"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a broom made of twigs tied together on a long handle
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: BESOM
17D: "26. Existing"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that possessing life
- Similar words include: live, active, alert
- Opposite of: dead, unanimated
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ALIVE
18D: "27. Turkey's monetary units"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the basic unit of money on malta; equal to 100 cents
- Similar words include: Turkish lira, Maltese lira, lira
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: LIRAS
19D: "28. Dug for coal, e.g."
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that get from the earth by excavation
- Similar words include: mine
- Opposite of: unmined
Click to reveal answer
Answer: MINED
20D: "29. Capital of Ghana"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the capital and largest city of ghana with a deep-water port
- Similar words include: capital of Ghana
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ACCRA
21D: "30. Assumed name"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a name that has been assumed temporarily
- Similar words include: assumed name, also known as, a.k.a.
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ALIAS
22D: "32. Accumulate"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that collect or gather
- Similar words include: pile up, conglomerate, cumulate
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: AMASS
23D: "33. Enjoys"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a similar kind; ,
- Similar words include: the like, ilk, the likes of
- Opposite of: dislike
Click to reveal answer
Answer: LIKES
24D: "34. To whom an exec dictates"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: STENO
25D: "37. Tractor operator's compartment"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a compartment at the front of a motor vehicle or locomotive where driver sits
- Similar words include: taxi, taxicab, cabriolet
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: CAB
26D: "38. Superlative ending"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that standard time in the 5th time zone west of greenwich, reckoned at the 75th meridian; used in the eastern united states
- Similar words include: Eastern Standard Time, Eastern Time
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: EST
27D: "41. Glaringly bad"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that conspicuously and outrageously bad or reprehensible
- Similar words include: crying, rank, glaring
- Pattern: ________
Click to reveal answer
Answer: FLAGRANT
28D: "42. Erases"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: DELES
29D: "47. Stitch"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that fasten by sewing; do needlework
- Similar words include: stitch, tailor, tailor-make
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: SEW
30D: "50. Covered passageway"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a covered passageway with shops and stalls on either side
- Similar words include: colonnade
- Pattern: ______
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ARCADE
31D: "52. Supplementary jury group"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
- Similar words include: story, fib, tale
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: TALES
32D: "53. Squeeze"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the state of demanding notice or attention
- Similar words include: pressure, adjure, imperativeness
- Pattern: _____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: PRESS
33D: "54. Identical"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a member of an indigenous nomadic people living in northern scandinavia and herding reindeer
- Similar words include: Saame, Sami, Saami
- Opposite of: different, unlike
Click to reveal answer
Answer: SAME
34D: "55. Roman road"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ITER
35D: "56. Helen of Troy's mother"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that (greek mythology) a queen of sparta who was raped by zeus who had taken the form of a swan; helen of troy was conceived in the rape of leda
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: LEDA
36D: "57. Kite part"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that the posterior part of the body of a vertebrate especially when elongated and extending beyond the trunk or main part of the body
- Similar words include: dog, butt, trail
- Opposite of: head
Click to reveal answer
Answer: TAIL
37D: "58. Italian noble family"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: ESTE
38D: "59. Iridescent gem"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a translucent mineral consisting of hydrated silica of variable color; some varieties are used as gemstones
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: OPAL
39D: "60. Legendary Swiss hero"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a swiss patriot who lived in the early 14th century and who was renowned for his skill as an archer; according to legend an austrian governor compelled him to shoot an apple from his son's head with his crossbow (which he did successfully without mishap)
- Similar words include: order, severalize, say
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: TELL
40D: "61. Dryad's home"
Solving Hints:
- Think of something that a tall perennial woody plant having a main trunk and branches forming a distinct elevated crown; includes both gymnosperms and angiosperms
- Similar words include: Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree, corner, shoetree
- Pattern: ____
Click to reveal answer
Answer: TREE
41D: "62. Drop bait lightly"
Solving Hints:
- Pattern: ___
Click to reveal answer
Answer: DAP
Puzzle Stats
37 Across
41 Down
78 Total
